ETDP SETA Policy Changes 2015/2016

During the recent ETDP SETA workshop held in Durban in November 2015 the following changes was discussed.

In an effort to line-up with the QCTO procedures the ETDP SETA will differentiate between Internal, External and Verification procedures in the future. This means that the learning process from start to end will be broken down in the following stages, namely:

The ETQA Manager also emphasized during the workshop that all queries/complaints received by the ETDP SETA will be handed over to the Quality Assurance Committee that will advice on any changes in any policy or procedure in the future.

DATANET, the current online data system used by the ETDP SETA will be taken offline in January and replaced in April 2016 by a similar system designed for the SERVICES SETA. During January and April all Training Providers will submit verification request to the SETA via Excel Sheets, similar currently been used by the SERVICES SETA, during the move over process. (January to April 2016)

More changes in January are expected with the Verification process. Verifiers will during External Moderation review the Training Providers entire Quality Management System, Legal documents such as the SARS TAX Clearance certificates and implementation strategies such as the use of Notional Hours and support. Adverts for new verifiers will be placed shortly in all regions to enable the ETDP SETA for implementation these new procedures.

Filing of learner Portfolio of Evidence files by Training Providers for a period of 5 years was also discussed and re-enforced. This impossible task that will result in additional storage space that will add additional cost to learning programmes in the future.

The ETDP SETA will also place more emphasis and checks in 2016 on the implementation of Notional Hours, especially for Training Providers offering Assessor and Moderator courses in the same week, including public tenders that does not have the capacity to deliver the programmes according to the guidelines stipulated by the SAQA policy. This will also include support to learners during the learning process and appointing of 3rd parties through MOU’s by Training Providers that allows individuals to make use of their learning programmes on a commission based process.

The lack of the ETDP SETA’s Head Office in Johannesburg to communicate and answer their telephones was as also raised, including the new learning programme approval process that is currently an impossible task to follow through the ETDP SETA. More templates for learning programme design will be placed on their website in January as guidelines that will hopefully streamline the approval process. It was also emphasized during the workshop that all learning material should be returned by the SETA’s Head Office to the Training Provider on completion of review.